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Agriculture

Quinoa could become a staple crop for European farmers. Credit: PROTEIN2FOOD
agriculture
02 May 2017

How ancient crops could counteract climate change effects

Farmers who grow single crops are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, but now researchers are resurrecting ancient crop varieties to encourage diversity and offset the risks of extreme weather.

Half of the snappers sold in markets may actually be other types of fish. Image credit: ‘Maine Avenue Fish Market’ by Ellie Van Houtte is licenced under CC BY 2.0
environment | agriculture
22 March 2017

DNA barcoding needed to break fish black market

General fish labels like snapper, sole and seabream take away the power to accurately assess stocks and then distort fishing quotas, but by identifying individual species we could prevent illegal catches ending up on our plates. 

Harvesting rubber from dandelions is a way to reduce the reliance on imports from Southeast Asia. Image credit: Pixabay/ starbright
agriculture | industry
06 March 2017

Rubber dandelions and nickel-eating flowers

Fields of yellow flowers across Europe could soon be producing a harvest of rubber and nickel for use in industry, helping to reduce reliance on imports by creating a home-grown source of raw materials.

Farmers could soon be using nematodes on a large scale to fight pests in their maize fields. Image credit E-nema GmbH, Germany
agriculture | bioeconomy | open innovation
12 October 2016

Natural enemies enlisted as troops in war on pests

From fungal spore spray to insect egg dispensers, unleashing an army of living enemies on crops to keep pests and diseases in check may sound like the stuff of science fiction, but it’s part of a more natural approach to agriculture, designed to decrease reliance on chemicals.

Semi-natural habitats such as a flower strip along a winter wheat field in the Netherlands can attract insects to eat pests or pollinate crops. Image courtesy of Professor David Kleijn.
agriculture | environment
24 May 2016

‘Ecological intensification’ swaps pesticides for biodiversity

While farmers often turn to pesticides and herbicides to get as much produce as possible from their land, there’s something new on the menu that could employ nature’s own resources instead.

The amount of sugar in grapes increases when the weather is too dry or sunny, meaning the alcohol level in wine made from these berries is above the ideal 12 to 14 % range. Image credit: Pixabay/ jill111
environment | agriculture | open innovation
11 May 2016

Climate change leaves its stain on European wine

With warmer winters and drier summers, climate change might even be having an effect on your favourite bottle of wine. 

The high energy costs of producing milk and dairy products mean researchers are examining how to make the process more efficient, such as concentrating milk to reduce transport costs. Image credit: Pixabay/Pixel-Sepp
environment | agriculture
13 April 2016

Green milk – making dairy more environmentally friendly

Cow’s milk accounts for almost 3 % of global greenhouse gas emissions, but skimming the waste from dairy production in Europe could make the business much more sustainable.

Drones can help farmers detect weed infestations around crops. Image courtesy of TOAS
agriculture | ict
31 March 2016

Eyes in the sky to help farmers with weed control

The last place you might expect to find drones and rovers is checking up on a corn field, but they could soon join tractors and ploughs on a farmer’s list of must-have agricultural tools, thanks to their potential to reduce pesticide use and increase the amount of crops that can be grown.

The Nezara viridula stink bug is one pest that is highly resistant to pesticides. Image credit: ‘Pentatomidae - Nezara viridula f. torquata’ by Hectonichus is licensed under CC SA-3.0
agriculture
17 February 2016

Could we farm out pest control to insects?

Beetles, wasps and flies could be at the forefront of the next agricultural revolution as scientists draw on insects’ millions of years of farming experience in a bid to find new, environmentally friendly ways of cultivating crops.

Researchers are making bio jet fuel from the seeds of the Solaris tobacco plant. Image courtesy of Project Solaris
agriculture | energy | bioeconomy | open innovation
25 January 2016

Tobacco-powered aeroplane to be tested ‘within months’

Researchers are getting ready to test a tobacco-powered aeroplane thanks to a new bio jet fuel made from the seeds of nicotine-free plants, and the result could be a 75 % reduction in carbon emissions compared to fossil fuels.

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